Avatar: Kalea's Legacy
by Avatar Kalea
Summary: PLEASE READ! the 1st chapter is an ELA assignment, so sorry if its not very good. theres a full explanation inside on the 1st chapter. genre is friendship/adventure and romance later. i drew the cover. thx if u read this! no summary cuz im terrible at them. STORY IS BETTER THAN IT SEEMS! dont judge a book by its cover (or in this case, "summary")
1. Chapter 1: The Return (ELA assignment)

**Ok, i have this explanation:**

**so this was a school assignment (short story) so if there are long explanations that were explained in the show, I'm sorry if it bothers you. And there's a ton of corny stuff that I had to add b/c my teacher probably doesn't know Avatar...**

**This first chapter isn't very good imo, but it gets better (i guess). I want to thank you for reading this A/N and (hopefully) story. If you are, please review so that I will know that you at least read my story! and tell your friends on here too, please... maybe. Thx. And maybe pretend you're my teacher and you're grading this! _Tell me what you think._**

**I actually own a lot of this...** **But**,** it's Avatar, so technically this is Bryke's/Nickelodeon's.**

* * *

><p><strong>Avatar: The Return<strong>

_Earth.  
>Fire.<br>Air.  
><em>_Water._

_ 300 years after the existence of Avatar Korra, the White Lotus faces a dreaded problem. The latest Avatar has not shown any sign of existence for sixteen years, and no one has the slightest hint of where the Avatar Spirit may be. Not even the spirits have been able to sense the Avatar's aura.  
>The rest of the world also faces a problem. Ever since Avatar Korra, there has been no proclamation of a new Avatar, even though there was supposedly a new era of Avatars.<br>The world needs its hero, and needs it soon…_

* * *

><p>The wind blew through Kalea's hair as she bent water at her will. The small plant wrapped around her forearm slowly turned green again as the water seeped through its roots.<p>

Sharinne, Kalea's best friend, lazily earthbent a boulder into the shape of a bed, and lied down.

David, Sharinne's older brother by one year, watched the plant grow, and Kalea planted it near a tree.

"It's so boring. What do you want to do now, guys?" Sharinne twirled her emerald bracelet above her head with earthbending. David shrugged in response.

"We could have a bending game," she suggested. "There's an odd number of players, so no teams. Every man for himself."

Kalea sighed and tucked one of her two small braids behind her ear. She crouched next to the now-growing plant. "Whatever," she muttered. She fingered her necklace, an ancient artifact that was renewed and fixed recently; turns out it was the ancient necklace of the waterbender Master Katara.

David stood. "Well, bending game it is." He drew three lines in the ground, showing the borders. "Everyone ready?"

The girls nodded, and he started the countdown. "Three, two, one. Go!"

Rocks and water flew around as the opponents bent their elements at each other, including Kalea, who did her best to defend herself from painful bruises. Sharinne burst some rocks to sand, and bent the dust from the ground in her opponents' faces. David had a sneeze attack and shouted, "Sharinne, stop! I'm allergic to pollen, remember?"

Instantly, the dust stopped, but a quart of water splashed his face, wetting the front of his shirt.

Scowling, he pumped his fist and swept a boulder at Kalea.

"Hey, David!" she yelled. "Bet ya can't take this!" and small icicles zoomed towards him. He earthbent a wall as defense at the last minute, and the ice shattered on impact.

"Yo bro!" That would be Sharinne. "Is that all you can do? Block and defend? Well, try this on!" The dirt and pebbles shot up at his feet, but David leapt up just in time. He flipped and landed on his feet, rolling with extra momentum. He controlled some nearby metal scraps of soda cans to round the girls up, and almost succeeded. His sister burst from his grasp, but David metalbent her bracelet towards a small trap for her, which in turn caused Sharinne to follow.

"Hey! Stop it, David!" she protested. Yanking, she freed herself… but her precious bracelet had swung away and hit a squirrel square in the eyes.

The metal around Kalea unraveled, and she rushed over to her friends. David sheepishly came to his sister, who held the dead animal in her hands, with... were those tears?

"Sharinne…? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to kill it, and I can–"

"You don't _even…_"

"Come on, Sharinne. Let's go," Kalea whispered, but her friend wouldn't budge.

"No. I'm not leaving." She stubbornly held her ground, and looked up. "It was an innocent little creature, and wasn't supposed to die."

"Sharinne, I know–"

"No!" She glared daggers at her brother. "You don't know anything about this, David, and you won't." Sharinne carefully set it down next to Kalea's plant, and stood up.

"Let's–" Kalea started.

"No! Just leave me alone!"

David paused. His sister had always cared for animals, but this is a bit too far… He tried a stern and firm tone.

"Sharinne," David said strictly. "I don't…"

"Ugh! Really, David! _Really,_" she waved her arms exasperatedly, grabbed her bracelet, and was about to run off when her brother grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Sharinne." His voice was deadly quiet. "Don't you dare try to leave. You–"

"No." As stubborn as the earth she bends, Sharinne would give her life for poor animals.

David groaned in frustration. "Seriously, what is your problem? It was just a squirrel!"

Sharinne's eyes widened in rage. "_Just_ a squirrel?! What if it had an important role to play for its family? What if all the other squirrels–"

"What if it didn't?" David countered. "What if it was just a regular squirrel doing regular stuff?"

The siblings continued to argue back and forth. Kalea knew that they often fought over small things, but this was _seriously_ shallow.

"You guys–" she began, but was immediately cut off by more bickering.

"People, I–" More yelling.

"Guys…" Groans of frustration and shouts.

She growled and yelled, "ENOUGH!"

David and Sharinne glared at each other before turning their attention to Kalea… except they couldn't, because a column of earth towered before them, that wasn't there before.

Kalea frowned. "Alright, who did that?"

In unison, the siblings said, "Not me."

The three frowned in confusion, and four green eyes turned to Kalea.

"What? What did I do?" More stares. "Come on, you guys! Common sense. I'm a _waterbender._" She shook her head.

"Yeah, but… neither of us sensed each other earthbend." David explained.

"So? Maybe someone's hiding in the trees, and they just randomly earthbent." Kalea shrugged.

The siblings gave Kalea a look that said, _really?_

"Okay, okay. That's not very likely, but still! It's not like I'm the Avatar or anything…" she mumbled.

Sharinne's eyes lit up. "Wait, try to earthbend again."

Kalea frowned, but did as she was told. She got in a strong horse stance, one that she has seen several of the younger earthbenders take on. Kalea lifted her hands, balled them into fists, and punched.

Nothing happened.

"You know," David said thoughtfully. "General Bumi, brother of the airbending Master Tenzin was a nonbender until Harmonic Convergence, when he and several others suddenly became airbenders. Before training, he could only airbend when he was in danger. So, maybe I can shoot a few rocks at you, see what happens."

Sharinne crossed her arms. "You really think that's going to work? What if she can't earthbend, and she gets hurt?"

"Hey, guys. Just… let's just try it, and if I get hurt, I can always use water-healing to heal myself." Kalea really didn't want another fight.

David used the column of earth, and, from the top to bottom, made them into disks and swept his arms around. The disks went flying at Kalea, who dodged and turned until there was only one left.

"Kalea, you've got to actually _try_ to earthbend. It might hurt if you really can't, but you still gotta try," David explained, holding the last disk.

Kalea shifted uncomfortably. "Okay… here goes."

The disk hovered above David's hand, and in one quick motion, the disk rocketed at Kalea's face. On instinct, she lifted her fist and blocked…

And the disk shattered to bits before it had made any contact.

They all gasped. "No way…" David whispered. "You're… you're the Avatar."

* * *

><p>The friends told the news to their parents, who in turn told an organization called the Order of the White Lotus. The White Lotus was once assigned by one of the Avatars, Avatar Aang, to find and protect the following Avatars. This had continued until Kalea's time, and because she had not given any sign of bending more than one element until now, and that she doesn't have a strong spiritual essence, they had been unable to find her.<p>

"So. You're the Avatar?" Jing Yu, a firebending master in the White Lotus circled around Kalea, almost as though she could see the Avatar Spirit. She started muttering, "No wonder… No wonder."

"Well, we're pretty sure," Kalea answered anxiously, and breathed uncomfortably. "We were in this courtyard, and–"

"Yeah, yeah. You had a bending game and you earthbent. Your friends told me." The firebending master looked up. "The airbenders don't sense any powerful spiritual vibe from you, but you've still got a little. Just not… _powerful,_" she informed. "You're gonna need more training than any of your past lives, including Avatar Korra and Avatar Wan."

Kalea frowned. "Wasn't Avatar Wan the first Avatar of the first cycle? And I'm after Avatar Korra, so I'm supposed to be in the second cycle…?"

"First cycle, second cycle, same thing," Jing grumbled. "You just don't have the spirits of the Avatars before Avatar Korra."

"Why hasn't there been an annunciation of an Avatar if there had been some between my time and Korra's? If there aren't Avatars between us, why am I a waterbender? Won't I be an earthbender?"

"Enough with the questions." Jing stood up straight, and became a good two inches taller than the waterbender. "We need to get you and those friends of yours to the headquarters so we can give you some tests."

"But what–"

Jing gave her a glare that would've stopped a rhinoceros saber-bear in its tracks.

* * *

><p>When they met up with David, Sharinne and another White Lotus member, Kalea rushed up to her friends and gave them both a hug.<p>

"Dude, that person is creeping me out." Kalea shuddered as she pointed her thumb at Jing.

"Who? Jing Yu? I think she's pretty cool. You know, all tough and rough, like the legendary Beifongs," David said, and grinned proudly. "Maybe I can even find out if she's related to one of the earthbending Avatars. Besides, she could be nice… sort of."

Kalea felt a strange twist in her stomach as he said this, but when she tried to distinguish what it was, she shook it off.

"David, we're not here to admire what family people came from, okay?" Sharinne rolled her eyes and nudged her brother. "Kalea needs to know –_we_ need to know –if she really is the Avatar."

"We need to go to the headquarters now. Come on," Jing Yu ordered, waving them along.

* * *

><p>Jing whistled for her animal, and looked around. An enormous chameleon-dragon appeared, from the colors of the trees to a dark red-orange. Its eyes were purple slits, and spikes lined its spine from his neck to the tip of its tail.<p>

"Chrame, take us to the headquarters, would ya?" Jing said as she climbed on the saddle. She looked down at the rest of them, and pointed behind her. "Get on."

"With those spikes? No thanks," David smirked.

Jing glared and flipped her ponytail back. "No, I mean _between_ 'the spikes.' And they are called 'defense barbs,' for your information." The look in her eyes clearly said, _Boys. They're so dumb._

* * *

><p>As they flew above the clouds, Kalea asked, "Where are you taking us? I thought the headquarters would be near where we were just now, in Republic City."<p>

Jing chuckled without humor. "That's what all the first-timers think. But, no. You see, there's a secret organization created by the White Lotus after Avatar Korra passed away. It's called TAS, and it stands for Team Avatar Society. I know, corny name, right? But anyway, after Avatar Korra died, the White Lotus needed to know whether or not there would be an Avatar after her for them to protect. When they found that there is another Avatar, they knew they needed a way to protect him, because if there's anyone who wants to kill the Avatar and its cycle forever… well, we're all doomed." She grinned. "That's where people like me come in."

Sharinne nodded. "So basically, you're actually part of the TAS?"

"Yes, I am," Jing replied, as though it were obvious. "The White Lotus gathered several younger benders from all over the world and trained them to become masters. After that, we built a secret headquarters with both bending and advanced technology. Everything's a big secret, so–" she shot the trio a warning glare. "if you're not the Avatar, you three better keep your lips sealed."

David frowned. "And why is it a secret?"

Jing rolled her eyes with the same look of annoyance as before. "What do you _think?_ The Avatar needs to be kept safe and protected, otherwise if there's some evil group trying to kill the cycle –like the Red Lotus had, if you learned this –then… well, who knows what'll happen. The three Avatars between Korra and Kalea have all been under cover with us, safe and sound with all the training they need. This is why, when, for sixteen years, Kalea made no sign of existence, the White Lotus really got worried and totally freaked out."

Sharinne smiled. "Three's the magic number, eh?"

Kalea gripped the barb in front of her. She may be the Avatar, but definitely not the most powerful. She couldn't help but ask, "I get why you guys keep this whole thing a secret: safety and all that. But if the Avatar is supposed to help save the world and bring balance, and you guys hide me and the rest away, what's the point of even _having_ an Avatar?"

Jing Yu's expression instantly looked pained. "Good question. But it's the same question we've been asking ourselves. We're stuck on keeping and protecting the Avatar, versus letting it be the same old ways with a Team Avatar saving the world to bring peace and balance. It's just, after the White Lotus failed to protect Avatar Korra, I guess they had the same instincts a parent would have over their child."

* * *

><p>Soon, the group reached a big plain of grass. A perfect square, cut into equal fourths. In each fourth was a circle, and unless you weren't flying, you would see that in each circle were the symbols of the Four Nations. In the top left circle was a pond, and the grass in it formed the design of the Water Tribes. Next to it, in the top right, the sand and rock made the trapezoid shape of the Earth Kingdom. Right below it was the familiar waves of the Fire Nation, made with twigs and flint; and the last circle had the circular spirals of the Air Temples.<p>

Jing Yu landed Chrame, and the four benders slipped off and on to the rough ground. They walked to the giant fourth with the Fire Nation symbol, and stopped.

"Usually, we would do this at our own elements of bending," Jing explained. "But if there are nonbenders or visitors, you'll come with me." She went to the edge of the circle, dragging Kalea with her.

"Being the only other possible firebender, only you can do this with me. If not, then I'll have to use the emergency opening. Just do what I do; you'll know what's coming." Jing stood in a position similar to the "tree" in yoga, and Kalea, who was slightly puzzled, followed.

Jing continued several forms of firebending, and Kalea soon realized what was going on. In her studies of bending and Avatars, it was revealed that a group called the ancient "Sun Warriors," were firebenders from the original source of firebending: dragons. The forms Jing was now making was called The Dancing Dragon, a series of ancient firebending forms.

When they finished The Dancing Dragon, there was a hollow sinking noise behind them. The center of the Fire Nation symbol had sunk deep below ground, and in its place was a metal contraption that looked like an elevator.

"Follow me," Jing Yu mumbled. "The headquarters are right below us." Then under her breath she added, "Looks like you passed the first test."

* * *

><p>When they stepped out two minutes later, David, Kalea, and Sharinne all gasped in awe at the machines and technology of, well, probably the entire world.<p>

"Wow…" Sharinne breathed.

"Advanced technology, huh?" David chuckled.

Kalea grinned as well. "That was a total understatement."

In every direction they looked, wires and boxes whirred and whizzed around, running errands. Robots messed with other-worldly technologies and beeped messages. A small R2D2-like robot played with a watch, and as it pressed a button, it lit up with a touch-screen plate in the air. Several small letters and codes filled it up, and another button was pressed. Instantly, it turned into a silver laptop with a complex keyboard.

For the first time that day, Jing Yu truly smiled. "We added on to ideas from Future Industries. Right this way, newbies." She waved them behind her, and they walked through a maze of fiery towers.

"So," Kalea said, still in awe by everything around her. "This is the headquarters?"

"Yeah. It's awesome, so amazing," She sighed, her eyes far away. "Every time I walk in, I still feel…" All of a sudden, Jing Yu stopped midsentence and cleared her throat. Her expression tightened a bit. "Um, anyway, to answer your question, yes. This is the headquarters, and all the masters of the world, benders and nonbenders alike, are here, for work, or as a home." Kalea couldn't help but notice how Jing was keeping her guard up all the time.

Sharinne spoke up, "How do nonbenders become masters?"

"Good question," Jing answered. "Nonbenders can use the technology here as weapons. They master them to become… masters. We have many types of armor in the Armory shop. There are swords, knives, bows and arrows, daggers, shields, and spears in the Olden Weapons shop. In the Modern Weapons shop, we have a few guns. Not very interesting, if you ask me. And in our best and most successful shop, we have the Future Weapons shop, with several olden weapons that can transform into other things." They walked near a passerby, and conveniently, a nonbender.

"Hey, Lyhkeer," Jing greeted. "Can you show us your phone, please? We'd like to see it transform." Lyhkeer smiled, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a BlackBerry. He slid it open, pressed a few random buttons that were seemingly silver, and almost immediately, it unfolded into a 9-inch dagger.

"I love this thing," Lyhkeer sighed.

Jing smiled. "Sure. That'd be a good advertisement." They all laughed.

* * *

><p>Later, the four benders walked up to two enormous doors, both made of a special silver-azure metal, and they had a very complex symmetrical design. Small blue-green and sunset colored swirls started at the bottom corners of each, and then they arched up into teeny tiny flowers and vines. Spirals led to twists and turns from there, and it would seem as though they were just that, all the way up and into the center circle; yet if you looked closely, you would see hidden pictures of the four elements, minor elements, former Avatars, and their friends.<p>

"Wow," David complimented. "You know, I honestly think that this place just can't get any better than this."

Jing smirked. "Oh, it does. And trust me; it's at least twenty times better than just these doors."

She unlocked the doors by firebending a secret code from the top of the doors to the bottom, and the doors swung open to reveal a giant walkway similar to a mall.

"This is where everything else is: all the forges, shops, training sessions, even schools and homes. For some people, like me, stay here all day, every day. It's almost like a boarding school, only we also have activities to help us survive in our daily lives."

Kalea sighed. "This is absolutely amazing. Just one thing." She opened her mouth to continue, but Jing stopped her.

"You are quite one to ask questions," Jing noted. "Master Khid will like you."

Kalea blushed. "Um, thanks. But, anyway, I just wondered why we've only been seeing things related to fire, the Fire Nation, etc."

"Well, remember when I led you through the Dancing Dragon?"

Kalea nodded.

"We went through the passageways for the firebenders. If we went through the other passageways, which we couldn't have, we would have seen scenes from its respective element." Jing explained.

"Okay… so, where are you taking us now? We're at the headquarters."

The firebender smiled in acknowledgment. "I'm taking you guys to one of the World Leaders, Master Khid. He's pretty young for a World Leader, only seventeen, like me, but he mastered practically everything of the Air Nomads."  
>Sharinne raised her eyebrows. "Seventeen? He's only seventeen, and he's an airbending master <em>and<em> World Leader?"

Jing shrugged. "Like I told you, he's really young. Sometimes, I even feel bad for him; he goes through a lot of stress."

David shook his head. "Advanced technology, bending masters of the world, World Leaders… This place just gets better and better."

"Trust me," Jing agreed. "When I show you the spiritual oasis, you'll feel like you've never lived."

Once again, Kalea felt a slight twist in her stomach, but she did her best to ignore it.

* * *

><p>"Before we see Master Khid, though," Jing said, about twenty minutes later. "I need to show you the spiritual oasis I mentioned. That's where Kalea will be taking her spiritual test, so just to get the shock out, we need to visit."<p>

David grinned. "Fine by me. If it's got more cool stuff, like you said, then let's get going!"

"David…" Sharinne groaned. "Stop acting like _you're_ the one who's going to take the tests. Besides, it's not like we're staying here forever."

David shrugged. "Then all the more reason we should see it; right, Kalea?"

While they bickered some more, Jing talked to some guards, who stood in front of a seemingly normal door. The guards nodded, gave a small item to Jing, and stepped aside.

"People!" Jing called. "Here's the oasis."

The group watched as she slipped the key into its hole, then four of the guards came and did a bending trick. The door slowly creaked open… and it revealed the most amazing piece of nature possible.

Ankle-length, lush green grass was everywhere, and hills and mountains of earth piled up all around it. Several different types of trees bent over in a squiggly shape, and small flowers covered patches of clover. A few sparks of fire flickered randomly, yet the breeze didn't blow them out completely. In the center of it all was a tiny "island," only big enough for one person –namely, the Avatar. It was surrounded by clear, fresh water, and in it swam little tadpoles and fish. Lily pads and water lilies floated about, making it all seem more animated and dream-like.

A whole twenty seconds of awed silence passed, until Jing Yu cleared her throat. "Yeah, yeah. Really awesome, really good-looking… okay. We need to go see Master Khid now."

* * *

><p><em>Knock, knock<em>. Jing rapped on the wooden door. _Knock–_

"Come in!" A rough voice called from the other side. The four pushed open the door, and an office filled with filing cabinets and papers jumped out at their eyes.

A marble desk sat in the middle of the chaos, and behind the desk sat a seemingly twenty-year-old man, with his head in his hands.

Jing suddenly seemed uncomfortable. "Hey… Master Khid?"

Said Master looked up. His eyes suddenly seemed to brighten at the sight of Jing, but the bags under his eyes said otherwise.

"What's up, Jing? Come on in." He gave them a welcoming smile. "Is this the Avatar you were talking about?"

Jing nodded. "Kalea is the suspected Avatar, at least, and she has… passed the _first test_."

Khid raised a brow. "Oh? Well then. Kalea, we will be giving you a series of tests, both physical bending and spiritual."

"Okay… I-I guess," Kalea stuttered tentatively. She was really nervous about the spiritual one, so nervous, in fact, that she felt her knees literally start to wobble.

Sharinne stepped up. "Can my brother and I watch? Or, at least, give some moral support?" David nodded in agreement.

Khid shrugged. "I don't see why not."

The waterbender cheered inwardly.

* * *

><p>Sweat trickled down Kalea's forehead as she ducked Jing Yu's fire. She was now taking her firebending test, and Jing was <em>not<em> cutting her slack. The firebending master kicked another column of scorching hot fire at Kalea, and this time, she reacted. She pointed her fingertips straight at the center and pushed through... and came out without a single burn.

"Go, Kalea!" Her friends cheered. Jing pulled her helmet off to flip her now-messy ponytail, turned to her, and complimented, "Well, well. Looks like you really could be the Avatar. Nice job." She smirked at her opponent, but then turned serious again. "You need to work on actually _trying_ to bend the other elements, though. The dodge and defend strategy is more for airbenders, and nonbenders if they don't have a weapon."

Kalea thought, _That's exactly what David had said…_ She sighed. "I'm just afraid that if I can't bend an element, I might get hurt badly. Or worse, I may be the Avatar, but I won't be able to bend that element."

Jing rolled her eyes. "Look, you'll be fine. Just do what you gotta do."

"Easier said than done," Kalea grumbled.

* * *

><p>Before she knew it, though, Kalea had passed every bending test the Masters had set up for her. Now, she was on to the spiritual test.<p>

"Kalea," Khid came up to the almost-Avatar. "This test might be the hardest for you, especially since we had not been able to sense your Avatar spirit."

Kalea bit her lip and twisted her bracelets nervously. She was afraid this test would come... and it did.

"I simply want to say," Khid continued. "That I truly believe you will be a very powerful Avatar. The bending you did? I saw some of the minor elements that were in the room –Sharinne's bracelet, some metal, and a few plants –gravitate towards you while you were bending. It may have been my imagination, or your opponents have been doing this, but I think you could have been bending some of those minor elements. Plus, during your firebending test, I _know_ I saw a tiny bit of lightning –and Jing Yu can't lightningbend." He winked. "And don't worry if you don't pass the spiritual test; Avatar Korra had some trouble with that at first, too. Like a teacher of mine once said: 'Don't stress, do your best.'"

Kalea blushed and smiled proudly. "Thank you, Master Khid." She noticed that this was quite ironic; the advice he just told her should also be applied to Khid himself.

Khid smiled back. "No problem. And please, no need for the whole 'Master' thing."

* * *

><p>Kalea took a deep breath, and stepped back in to the now-foggy oasis. It was just the same as before, and now that she was fully inside (or outside, whichever), it was much cooler than she thought.<p>

She slowly walked through the wet grass, and lightly wandered on the stepping stones that pushed out of the crystal clear water. She stepped up to the small plateau, and sat down with her legs crossed. Kalea tucked her feet under her thighs, and positioned her hands above them. Her hands balled up, she put her knuckles together and adjusted her arms to the perfect angle. Somehow, she knew what to do and how to do everything, without anyone to help her.

Kalea took another breath before closing her eyes to meditate.

It took several moments of confused yet hopeful silence before anything happened. She heard rustling in the grass nearby, and she opened an eye and peeked, only to find a baby bunny-kitty pounce away. She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration.

Almost instantly, she heard a deep voice in her head, saying: _You must have patience, Korra._

Korra? Kalea's eyes snapped open, and her breathing quickened. She looked around to find that, of course, she was alone. She let out a sigh, but the voice still echoed through her mind.

_Patience_, it said. _You must have patience…_

Once again, Kalea drew in a breath to calm herself, and closed her eyes. A voice came again, only quieter and older this time: _You are right, Aang._ Kalea resisted the urge to open her eyes again. _All the past Avatars, all their experience and wisdom is available to you, if you look deep inside yourself._

The voice stopped talking, and Kalea opened her eyes. She recognized these words. In her studies of Avatars, there was a journal written by Avatar Aang, and one of the entries talked about when he was searching for the wisdom of the past Avatars on how to defeat his enemy. He had looked into the Avatar Spirit, and found Avatar Roku. He had written these exact words that were now being repeated over and over in Kalea's head.

A few things made sense now. These voices were giving her advice on how to pass the spiritual test, and these voices were of the people who gave the same advice to previous Avatars… except, that raises the other question.

How is she able to hear them?

Kalea mulled over what these voices had told her.

_ Patience…_

_ All the past Avatars… their experience and wisdom… available to you, if you look deep inside yourself._

_ Look deep inside yourself…_

Kalea blinked. _Duh!_ She had to look inside herself to find the experience and wisdom of her past lives, even if she was part of another cycle. She'll just have to look really, really deep. Like Jing had said: "First cycle, second cycle, same thing. You just don't have the spirits of the Avatars before Avatar Korra."

But she may have the spirits of the Avatars _between_ her and Korra! Kalea breathed deeply for several moments, concentrated, and began to meditate again.

Soon, she heard several voices at the same time, most of which were older and wiser. The words were words of advice, obviously, but Kalea had to look for one _certain_ piece of advice…

And all of a sudden, it jumped out at her. She heard Avatar Aang's voice giving… not advice, but an explanation to Korra when she connected with her spiritual self: _When we hit our lowest points, we are open to the greatest change._

Kalea knew that she wasn't at her lowest point, but one thing she was sure of: she was _very_ open to a great change.

On the spur of the moment, with that realization being the only thing on her mind, her eyes abruptly snapped open, glowing brightly from the Avatar State. She began to hover a few feet above ground. Her mouth opened a little, and her hair flowed around her. She felt heat growing inside her, but it wasn't the burning feeling of hunger in her stomach; actually, it was completely throughout her body. On the outside, she started to glow a light blue: not just from the Avatar Spirit, but also her own. A faded rainbow appeared below Kalea, making it seem as though she were riding it. Bits of all the different elements in the oasis, the four main and the other minors, rushed up towards the Avatar. They circled around her, quicker and quicker until they were nothing but a blur of colors.

The doors to the spiritual oasis opened to reveal David, Sharinne, Jing Yu, and Master Khid. They stood and watched as Kalea's body shined, blinding them. A burst of energy and spirit exploded throughout, making the area seem freshened.

Slowly, the light and energy disappeared, and the elements went back to where they came from. The rainbow was gone, and Kalea steadily floated down onto the ground.

The Avatar opened her eyes, and all was silent. Her friends, old and new, stared at her in wonder. Kalea stood up and came over to them, with a smug smile twitching on her lips.

"So," she raised her chin up high. "Did I pass the test?"

* * *

><p>"Your c-clothes," Sharinne kept stuttering. "They… changed."<p>

They all laughed.

"Yes, Sharinne." Kalea smirked. "You've been saying that for the past half hour."

Sharinne blinked. She opened her mouth, then closed it again. She continued staring at her best friend.

It was true, though. Somehow, while Kalea had been in the Avatar State and Spirit, her clothes had went from simple brown pants, a blue skirt and top with a gold colored belt, and a light blue cozy, furry, and warm poncho, that changed to a thin yellow T-shirt with a red hem; a dark green vest with faint-blue fur as straps; a dark turquoise belt; brown leggings also with red hem; and red-brown combat boots. It might sound pretty ugly to someone who loves fashion, but to Kalea, add in her jewelry and braids and you've got the perfect combination of the four elements in one outfit. That's complete for the Avatar.

Kalea noticed a lot of things, especially today, but right now, out of the corner of her eye she saw David stealing a few glances at her. Not to mention, she would start blushing inwardly.

"Hey, Kalea?" Jing pulled the Avatar aside. "I… I just want to say… I'm sorry if I was a bit harsh on you. Not just during your firebending test, but… since I first met you. I had trouble getting along with other people as a kid, and I've always been the stiff loner. I like a lot of people, including you guys, it's just…"

Kalea smiled reassuringly. "It's okay, Jing. You did what you were supposed to do, and what you could. In fact, while I tried to get in to the Avatar State, what you said about the first and second cycle being the same thing was what helped me. We're friends now… right?"

Jing offered a grin. "Right. And speaking of your firebending test, I think you have the ability to bend lightning, as well. I saw a bit of blue that wasn't from your clothes."

Said bender nodded. "I know. Khid told me."

"K-Khid?" Jing seemed nervous all of a sudden.

"Yeah… Is there something wrong?"

The firebending master shook her head. "Nah… nothing's wrong."

Kalea smiled and offered her a hand. "Okay, then. Wanna join us?"

Jing smiled back and walked with her to the laughter.

"Kalea," Khid said. "Your Avatar powers are very strong; we know that. Now, we simply need to train you so that you can master them, then after that, the Avatar State."

"Totally," David agreed. "Then we can have a new Team Avatar and kick some butt!"

Sharinne and Kalea laughed. "Yeah, but I don't think we have any enemy just yet," Sharinne chuckled.

"But, well, we do have a new Team Avatar, right?" Kalea looked at all her friends.

"Right." They all nodded and smiled in agreement.

They formed a circle and put their hands in the center, like little kids.

"TEAM AVATAR!" They laughed and cheered.

* * *

><p>The next day, it was announced to the whole world that the Avatar has returned.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>okay... there something i want to say.<strong>

**_THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS! AAAHH!_ i mean, right? you should have read it if you got to the bottom of the page...**

**anyways... i changed a few things from the original one of this chapter cuz i coulldnt resist.**


	2. Chapter 2: New Bending

**Avatar: Kalea's Legacy**

**Book One: Voices Chapter Two: New Bending**

_Earth.  
>Fire.<br>Air.  
>Water.<br>The Avatar has come back to the world to bring peace and balance by mastering all four elements. With powerful bending and a strong spirit, Kalea can do anything…_

* * *

><p><strong><em>Almost a month later:<em>**

_Whoosh!_ Flames danced around, taunting Kalea as she fought back. The Avatar punched a column of fire back at her friend, Jing Yu, a firebending Master in the TAS. Her opponent blocked, and quickly ducked as more fire flew around in the Firebenders' Training Center.

After several more shots, Kalea swept down and pushed upward with her index and middle fingers pointed at the ceiling. Without realizing what she was doing, a burst of energy flowed through her, and Kalea could feel tiny sparks of electricity tap-dancing up her arm. Suddenly, blue lightning shot out from her fingertips, and zapped a small hole in the smoking ceiling.

Jing watched in amazement at her friend, who had started trembling.

"Wow," Jing breathed. "I can't believe it. You actually bent lightning!"

Kalea shook her head. "It's cool, yeah. But it's also kind of scary. In the stories, lightningbenders used this for evil purposes. They could easily kill someone."

Jing smiled. "But nowadays, we have new weapons, new protection, new everything. Besides, we haven't had a lightningbender _in existence_ since the firebending Avatar before you. That's 170 years."

The Avatar sighed. "I just don't get it. I have such powerful bending: lightning; special minerals; metal; intense water-healing… the list goes on. Fire is supposedly the element I struggle at, but I don't; I don't struggle at any of them. And my spirit, too. You guys couldn't sense my spirit because it wasn't strong enough, but just over the course of one month, I can do all these… spirit-y things: talking to the spirits; transmitting my spirit from one place to another; spirit-bending. It all just seems too good to be true –even for the Avatar."

She rubbed her temples and put a hand up to stop Jing Yu from giving her another lecture. "Let's just go find David and Sharinne. I'm getting tired."

* * *

><p>Spirits floated around randomly as the two went outside. As soon as they were in public, people started buzzing.<p>

"It's the Avatar!" they whispered.

"The Avatar is here!" Cameras, phones, and other devices clicked and flashed as reporters swarmed Kalea and Jing. The friends pushed their way through the crowd as more people tried to get Kalea's attention.

"Why are you a waterbender? Aren't you supposed to be an earthbender?" someone called out.

"What took you so long to announce yourself?"

"It took Avatar Aang one hundred years, but it took you _three_ hundred! Three centuries, Avatar!"

"I'm surprised we still had enough sense to tell our children about you…"

"We would have forgotten about you if it weren't for other benders!"

"What happened…?"

"Where did you go…?"

"Why did you leave…?"

_Why are _you_ asking so many frustrating questions?_ Kalea thought angrily. She grabbed Jing's hand and stomped away, but several TV reporters followed.

"Well, aren't you persistent," Kalea muttered, and looked at Jing. She nodded, and the Avatar nodded back. They pumped their fists and jumped, creating fire-rockets. The girls leaped higher, and the fire grew strong enough to fly them away.

As they hovered around looking for the tea shop Sharinne worked in while out of the sight of nonbenders, Kalea couldn't help but groan.

"They're so annoying!" She complained. "Those people have been trying to interview me for a _whole month_. And it sucks not being able to just let the words out, to just tell them!"

Jing sighed. "Look, we're all trying to let them know what's going on without letting the whole truth come out."

"But why?" Kalea whined. "I thought you guys kept things a secret because the White Lotus had to protect me. But now everyone knows about me, so what's the point of keeping the TAS a secret?"

Jing's expression hardened. "Kalea, you have to understand that the TAS isn't just some place to protect the Avatar. We have a lot of valuable things there, and you saw the spiritual oasis. That, and people's homes. I live there, along with lots of other benders and nonbenders. All those new inventions and innovations are things that others may try to steal once they know about them. We can't take the risk."

Kalea exhaled. "Okay. Let's just go."

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, girls. You just missed her," the middle-aged woman explained. Sakura was the owner of the Cherry Blossom Tea Shop, and was almost like a mother to Kalea and Sharinne because of her kindness. "Sharinne left about five minutes ago. She said she had to go to some place called… Tian's Auto Shop, I think."<p>

Kalea and Jing shared a knowing and exasperated glance. They thanked Aki and quickly left, avoiding the people who saw them and tried to get their attention.

"I can't believe it!" Jing huffed. "We came all this way for nothing." Tian's Auto Shop was the pseudonym for the Team Avatar Society.

"I know," Kalea rolled her eyes, then mumbled sarcastically, "Thanks a lot, Sharinne."

* * *

><p>Jing apparently just decided to get the amazing idea of traveling on Chrame, which upset Kalea a bit more.<p>

After a few moments of silence, Jing spoke up, "I almost forgot. Now that it's been a month of training, and that you've almost mastered the four elements, you will receive your Mark and possibly meet your animal."

"Mark? You mean like an airbending Master's tattoos?" Kalea asked.

"Sort of like that. Look," Jing lifted her short sleeve to reveal a shape the size of a fingernail. The thin red lines looked like a cursive "L" with a line cutting across the middle. The ends of the line curved around to connect with the ends of the "L" which created misshaped circles. In each circle were sparkling dots; and depending on the angle the Mark was looked at, it seemed as though the red changed to black, orange, and then red again.

"Cool," Kalea whispered.

"Everyone gets them," Jing explained. "Masters, apprentices, trainees, etc. We have our own colored Mark, depending on what element we bend; or in a nonbender's case, it will be silver. We have this to show that we are a part of the TAS."

"Okay. So how do you get it on?"

"Well, if you're a nonbender, then it's cut on."

Kalea winced. "Um, won't that… hurt?"

Jing smiled in acknowledgement. "We rub a special healing herb on the place their Mark will be cut before it happens, so they won't feel a thing. In fact, we do that for everyone who will get their Mark." She continued, "I, being a firebender, got it burned on. Earthbenders lightly pound a rock on the skin; waterbenders use water-healing; and airbenders wrap scented smoke and steam around the arm."

"Wow." Kalea moved on to her next question. "You said something about meeting my animal. Would it be like a pet? Do I get to choose?"

The firebender shook her head. "No, your animal will not at all be like a pet. You see, Chrame is my animal. I met him about three years ago, when I was fourteen. It had been a little after a month after my training had first started, like you. I saw him while I had been sharpening a knife for a nonbender. He scared me to death, I'll tell you that.'' She chuckled as Chrame gave a small whimper.

"What happened?" Kalea asked curiously.

"He was only the length of my arm, which wasn't very big for a chameleon-dragon. I had put the knife down, turned around to yell at another bender, and the knife was gone." Jing grinned at the memory. "I panicked, of course, but then I saw the knife on my arm, or, what _seemed_ like the knife. It looked as though I had stabbed myself, and I freaked even more. The loud noise caused Chrame to turn into his normal color, and so in place of what looked like the knife was a pink and orange chameleon-dragon. I was totally ready to die then." Jing laughed.

"Pink and orange?" Kalea frowned in confusion. "He's–"

"Dark red-orange, I know." Jing interrupted. "Remember, this was three years ago. He was a juvenile, and only two months ago did he become a fully grown and colored adult. Honestly, for Chrame to have grown from only two feet to twenty-one in the matter of three years is quite impressive."

"Definitely," Kalea nodded in agreement. "But you going from tight and guarded to open and friendly in just one month is even more impressive." The moment the words came out, though, she noticed a bit of despair in Jing's eyes.

"Yeah, I guess." Jing cleared her throat, but her voice still sounded choked. "Anyway, speaking of impressive, we're here."

They landed near the familiar plain with the four elements, which Kalea learned was called Si Guo Tian. Chrame grunted a goodbye as the two girls quickly climbed off. Jing and Kalea walked towards the Fire Symbol and started the Dancing Dragon.

"I really wish they could install a way to open the Fire entrance with only one firebender." Jing complained. "It's not so great to have to use the emergency opening, you know." She thrust her hand upward and leaned down.

"What is the emergency opening anyway?" Kalea asked as she, too, leaned down.

Jing sighed. "I have to summon several spirits to communicate with certain airbenders in the headquarters, and then they manually open the entrance."

"Oh," Kalea replied. "Well, that's not very convenient, is it?"

Jing stood up as the familiar elevator rose to the surface. "Nope," she said. "Not at all."

When they stepped out of the elevator and split up to find Sharinne and David, Jing turned to Kalea and whispered, "Oh, and by the way, you don't get to choose your animal." She looked around in a jokingly mysterious manner and smirked.

"Your animal chooses you."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Kalea!" a voice called. The Avatar turned to see David, running towards her. Ever since she had entered the Avatar State, he had acted a bit strange around Kalea.<p>

"Oh! Hi, David," Kalea replied. "Have you seen Sharinne? Jing and I have been looking for you guys all morning."

"Uh, yeah." He answered, but he seemed nervous. "She's down in the Earthbenders' Quarters. You'll find her in her room."

Kalea frowned in concern. "David, are you feeling okay? You seem… fidgety." Then she grinned and teased, "You need to go to the bathroom?"

David managed a smile. "Ha, ha. No. I… I, uh…" He blushed. "Never mind. Anyways, see you around!" He ran off.

Kalea stared after him, and as she turned around to go to Sharinne's room, she shook her head in exasperation. _Boys_, she thought.

* * *

><p><em>Knock, knock.<em>

"Come in," Sharinne's muffled voice came from the other side. Kalea pushed open the door to find, as usual, her best friend sitting on her bed with her nose buried in a book.

Kalea laughed. "Look, I love reading almost as much as you do, but seriously, could you stop for just a moment?"

Sharinne smiled sheepishly as she tucked her bookmark in her page. "Sorry," she replied. "It's really good, though. You should read it when you get the chance. What's up?"

"Jing and I have been looking for you all morning!" her friend groaned. "And trust me, it was _not_ fun."

Sharinne gave her the puppy face. "Me? What happened?"

Kalea sighed and sat down next to her. "We ran into some reporters who tried to interview me –again. We had to use fire-rockets to find Sakura's tea shop, and then Jing had the _awesome_ idea of flying Chrame here. I bumped into David a few minutes ago, and he told me where you were."

Sharinne raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Oh? Did he say anything to you?"

Kalea frowned. "What do you mean?"

The earthbender simply sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. So does Jing know you found me?"

"Well, now I do," a voice answered behind them. Jing leaned on the door frame as though she had been there all along. "I saw David on the way here. He seemed… fidgety."

Kalea smiled. "I know, right? I teased him saying he had to go to the bathroom."

The three laughed.

"Speaking of David, though… um, Jing, you can listen if you want, but it's more for Kalea." Sharinne gave a nervous smile.

Jing shrugged. "Hey, as long as we don't have to save anyone's neck, I'm good."

Kalea grabbed her best friend's arm in concern. "Hey, is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah, everything's wonderful." Sharinne mumbled sarcastically. "If you count David talking about _someone_ all the time." She sighed and glanced at her best friend, but Kalea didn't get the message. "It's getting irritating; he even asked me for advice on how to talk to _her_." This time, she nudged Kalea's foot. It might have been accidental, but when you've been close friends for a long time, you would know the difference.

"Me?!" Kalea exclaimed, obviously surprised. She always knew she had a little _something_ for David, but it had probably just been concern for her friend. But after all that happened, and based on what Sharinne had just told her, Kalea wasn't so sure.

"W-why me? I mean, we're all friends, sure. But if you mean…"

Sharinne nodded vigorously. "Yes, that's _exactly_ what I mean."

Jing snickered and wiggled her eyebrows. "Ooooh!" She teased. "Someone's got a crush on _the Avatar!_"

Kalea blushed furiously. "Oh, come on!" she protested. "It's not like I don't see you get jealous whenever some girl talks to Khid."

Jing's hands burst into flames. "I _do not_ get jealous at all! _You're_ the one who got jealous last month!"

They argued and teased back and forth for a bit, with Sharinne sitting back and watching in amusement.

Suddenly, the door opened with the mentioned boys standing casually.

"Hey, David. Khid," Sharinne nodded just as casually. Kalea and Jing were quickly silenced by embarrassment, and looked away.

"'Sup," David nodded back at her, then Jing, and finally Kalea –at which they both turned a slight shade of pink.

Jing cleared her throat. "So, uh, Master Khid…"

"Whoa! I told you not to 'Master' me." Khid shook his head, then frowned at her. "Hey… whenever you call me 'Master Khid,' there's always something wrong." He looked around the room. "Guys, what's going on?"

"Nothing!" the three girls all said instantly, to which the boys shook their heads exasperatedly. _Girls_.

"Anyway," Sharinne broke the awkward silence that had begun to fall over them. "What are you guys doing here? Khid, I thought you have, like, World Leader-y stuff to do."

"Not today," Khid grinned. "Free-For-All Bending Battles, once a month –I get the day off."

"How do you play?" Kalea asked.

"This time, it's Earth and Fire against Water and Air. The nonbenders will be split up, half for each side. Whichever team takes down the leader of the opposite team, wins."

"Girl, you better just give up now!" Sharinne joked at Kalea and snapped her fingers.

"Hey! I'm the Avatar, so can't I–"

"Only one element, Kalea," Khid laughed at her pouting face. "And no spirit stuff or Avatar State, either."

"Wow," David chuckled. "I'm guessing the Battles are super intense."

"Oh, we're really competitive," Jing smirked. "Last month, about a week before you guys came, it was Air and Fire against Water and Earth. I'll admit, I was actually surprised when we won. They have more minor elements and advantages than we do."

"Yeah, but you've got more Masters on your side." Sharinne pointed out.

"Speaking of which, do you guys know about the Marks and animals yet?" Khid asked.

David, Sharinne, and Kalea all nodded.

"Kalea, you'll get your Mark after you master all four elements." Jing said, looking at the Avatar. "I think your firebending still needs a teeny tiny improvement; although your lightningbending has progressed a lot."

Khid raised his eyebrows. "Lightningbending?"

"Yes!" Sharinne exclaimed enthusiastically. "Did I mention that she even seems to be able to lavabend?"

Everyone, even Kalea herself, was surprised.

"Lavabend?" Kalea asked. "I can… lavabend?"

Sharinne nodded. "As you know, I'm a lavabender myself. I can sense it when someone is lavabending, and who it is. Besides, when I watched you practice earthbending the other day, I saw some specks of lava on that boulder."

"You sure it wasn't your blood?" David joked, and he earned a glare.

"David, _I'm_ the lavabender. You're the _metalbender,_" Sharinne rolled her eyes.

Kalea bit her lip and slowly twisted her bracelets. "Not to brag or anything," she admitted. "But based on what Coach Aran and Master HuoJin told me, I think I can bend a lot of the minor elements: metal, sand, gems, ice, clouds, etc., even one that they can't name. Watch."

Kalea turned to the small flower pot sitting on the windowsill. A tiny, brown, shriveled-up bud peeked from under the soil, and Kalea lifted her hands and began to bend water into the plant. Slowly, it grew taller and greener, and leaves sprouted from the sides of the stem. Soon, there was a pale white blossom opening up towards the sunlight. A perfect panda lily had bloomed in the matter of thirty seconds.

Everyone stared and gasped in awe.

"Kalea," David breathed. "That's… that's amazing!"

"Totally," Sharinne agreed.

"I don't think there are any waterbenders here who can do this," Jing added.

"Actually, I used more than just waterbending." Kalea admitted. "I felt the earth's minerals in the soil, and I somehow helped the sunlight to give the panda lily the food it needs."

Khid tilted his head in thought. "Panda lilies are supposed to grow on volcanoes, aren't they? So how did you…?"

Sharinne frowned. "And I thought that the 'panda lily' was a tulip snake. Sakura gave it to me as a birthday gift a long time ago; I thought it had died."

Kalea simply shrugged. "I might've used some spiritual energy or something. I don't know. But while I was bending, I was thinking about the panda lilies from the legends… so I guess I grew a panda lily…?" It came out like a question.

"But that's impossible." Jing shook her head. "No one can simply create something by sheer thought."

"But, like I said," Sharinne argued. "It was a tulip snake. A _dead_ tulip snake. And Kalea brought it back to life as a panda lily."

"Maybe she just invented a new type of bending," David suggested. "Plantbending."

"I doubt it." Kalea shrugged. "The waterbenders of the Foggy Swamp Tribe back during Avatar Aang's time used plantbending in the Swamp, so I'm not the first one."

"Kalea, you said you used more than waterbending." Khid questioned. "You felt the earth, and you helped the sunlight give food to the flower?"

"Yes," Kalea confirmed. "I don't know how I did it, though. The sun's energy has nothing to do with any of the four elements."

"Maybe it does," Jing pointed out. "Sozin's Comet gives firebenders strength; perhaps the sun does, too."

"Maybe. If it is true, though, then firebenders should have immense strength every day the sun is out."

"So… lightbending?" David scratched his head.

Kalea shook her head. "There's no such thing. Besides, I–"

_Kalea_.

She blinked. "Who said that?" They looked at her like she was crazy.

"Who said what?" David asked.

"I don't hear anything," Sharinne frowned.

"Maybe it was just your imagination." Khid suggested. "It happens."

_Kalea_, the voice said, only louder.

"No," Kalea stepped back and looked around the room. "I'm not imagining it. I can hear it, loud and clear."

_Listen to me_, it whispered. _Go into the Spirit World after tonight's bending game, and find someone who will guide you to me._

Without realizing, Kalea answered out loud. "Find who? And who are you?"

_You will know…_

Silence.

"…Kalea?" Jing touched her arm. "Are you okay? You seem pale."

Kalea took a deep breath. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"So…" Khid forced a smile. "Let's all get some rest and get ready for tonight's game, eh? They usually take about two to three hours, so get all the strength you need!"

The group said their byes and laters and headed back to their rooms.

* * *

><p>The moment she locked the door, Kalea collapsed on her bed. Exhaustion immediately surrounded her, and sleep overwhelmed her eyes. A dream floated into her mind, and Kalea awoke in the Spirit World.<p>

_Hello, young Avatar, _a voice whispered. Kalea knew she heard this voice before, perhaps in a past life, but she couldn't put her finger on it…

Suddenly her body glowed white and blue in the shape of familiar spirit, and just as quickly, it faded.

"Raava!" Kalea gasped. "Were you the one who had been telling me to come here and find someone?"

The light spirit's voice echoed around. _No,_ she answered. _But I will give you a hint on who you need to find to guide you to the voice you heard before. You have not met personally, but once you do meet, you will know whom._

"Do you know who the voice is? Can you tell me who my guide is?" Kalea asked hopefully. "What's the hint?"

_I do not know who the voice is, and I cannot tell you who your guide is, either._ Raava chuckled. _Quite a friendly person, though._

"So, what's the hint?" Kalea asked again.

She could almost hear Raava smile with complete amusement. _Go drink some tea. Then you will know._

A few seconds passed before Kalea blinked. And again. Then she reacted.

"What?" she cried. "Is this some sort of joke?" When there was no response, she groaned and mocked in a high pitched voice, "_Drink some tea, then you'll know._ Argh!"

* * *

><p>Kalea gasped as she suddenly sat up to find that she was in her bed at the TAS headquarters. She sighed in relief, and turned to look at the time. There was still some time left before the Bending Battle began, so the Avatar took this time to practice her bending.<p>

There weren't any plants in her room, but Kalea decided to concentrate on the sunlight streaming through the curtains. A beam, bigger than the rest, showed through a hole. Focusing on the light it made on the wooden floor, Kalea sat down with her legs crossed. She stared, trying several small firebending forms, but nothing happened.

Kalea sighed. She closed her eyes and began meditating. Almost instantly, voices rushed into her head, just like every other time she meditated. Also, as usual, a certain voice jumped out at her. She tried clearing her mind, like usual; only this time, the voice would not leave. It continued to scream at Kalea and pulled at her attention, and she reluctantly gave in.

_Patience, _The voice commanded. Kalea remembered this man's voice clearly: Last month, when she was in the Spiritual Oasis and had been trying to enter the Avatar State, she heard him say this to her after she had gotten frustrated. Kalea now knew this voice as Master Tenzin's, World Leader of the Airbenders, airbending master, and son of Avatar Aang.

Kalea sighed and put her head in her hands. "Ugh, who cares about patience." she muttered to herself. "There's no such thing as lightbending, so what's the point? It's not even connected to any of the four elements!"

A new voice entered her mind, and Kalea later recognized it as Guru Pathik. _The greatest illusion of this world,_ he began, _is the illusion of separation._ _Things that you think are separate and different are actually one and the same._

Kalea took a deep breath and glanced back at the light. She closed her eyes, and a young girl's voice pushed into the front of her mind, screaming: _Come on, metal! Work with me!_ Kalea could almost feel the seismic waves of Toph Beifong's seismic sense herself, rippling across a cage of metal. A sudden screech and crunch tore at Kalea's eardrums, but she knew it wasn't happening in the real present life. The sound of metal ripping apart made the meditation unbearable, and Kalea's eyes snapped open.

Breathing hard, Kalea calmed herself by staring only at the little circle on the floor. A hand reached out and waved delicately around it, and Kalea felt the urge to stand up.

Her hands and arms continued waving, and unconsciously, her feet shifted lightly in a circular pattern around the light. Quickening her pace, Kalea gently curled her fingers, and then relaxed them again. She suddenly felt as though all the light in her room was suddenly attracted to her, and energy coursed throughout her body. Her curtains were somehow drawn open, whether it had been bending or simply chance. The once small speck of light had grown into an orb as big as Kalea's fists. With a flick of her wrists, she used airbending, to push away the curtains, and sunlight brightened the room. More and more of it joined the tremendously glowing sphere, and within seconds, it had become an overpowering glare.

The door to her room burst open, and David, Khid, Jing, and Sharinne all stood there with their arms and hands covering their eyes from blinding light.

"Kalea!" Sharinne shouted as wind began to swirl around them like a tornado. "Kalea, you have to stop or you'll destroy this place!"

"I'm trying!" Kalea yelled back. She wasn't sure how to halt, so she decided to stop all motions. Kalea's hands snapped to her side, and she stood still. Or, at least, as still as possible. The light she had been bending exploded, and it bounced off every surface it touched. The light felt like tight pinches on Kalea's skin. A few screams from out in the hallway were heard.

A sudden and powerful blow of fresh air swept across the room, no doubt from Khid. Everything calmed down, and the light had gone back to normal. All eyes turned to Kalea, including those who were watching from the hallway.

"Avatar Kalea," an old voice commanded. Heads bowed in respect as the most authorized person in the TAS entered the room. Kalea knew immediately that this was Master Sayj. Although he was elderly, he had a young hearty spirit, and always had the best strategies for training. He was a former Sage, and had been working for the TAS almost his entire life. Several tiny spirits followed him wherever he went, and the elderly airbender smiled kindly at the Avatar.

"It's an honor to meet you, Master Sayj," Kalea bowed and put her fists against each other in the Air Nomads greeting.

He chuckled. "Nonsense," he waved his hand in as a signal to those around him to rise. "You're the Avatar. It is an honor to meet _you_. Besides, I do believe you had just invented a new type of bending?"

Kalea nodded. "Lightbending."

Master Sayj raised his eyebrows. "May you please demonstrate?"

"No!" David rushed forward. "Uh, I mean, no sir."

The Master's eyes twinkled with amusement, but he nodded. "And why, may I ask?"

"Master, it's too dangerous," Kalea explained. "I almost destroyed my room when I bent it a few minutes ago."

"That's because you invented an all-new type of bending!" Master Sayj laughed. "When Toph Beifong invented metalbending, she used seismic sense to feel the earthen minerals in the metal. She then controlled that earth to bend the metal. You, however, used a special power of both spiritual energy and a firebender's energy from the sun. Sunlight has almost nothing to do with fire, you know. For you to even have the ability to bend it, much less create it, is practically beyond impressive!"

Kalea beamed and blushed with pride, and her friends smiled encouragingly at her.

"Now, if you try to take on some more control, perhaps you can create, ah, a _smaller_ shape of light?"

The Avatar glanced at her friends, and they all nodded reassuringly. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on the sunlight coming from her window and closed her eyes. She began to take on the form from before, and waved her fingers near in the air. She focused solely on the light, and pictured in her mind a little sphere of golden light, shining in her hands. Kalea stood in a firebending stance, but her upper body took on the flexibility, balance, and lightness of an airbender. She opened her eyes when she heard a few people gasp, but instead of looking at them, she stared at the tiny dot of light sparkling in her right palm. Moving it to her left, Kalea used her now-free hand to summon more light to join the dancing speck.

"That should be enough, right?" Kalea held out her new bending creation towards Master Sayj, who gazed gently at it as though it were a newborn baby.

"Amazing," he whispered, not wanting to break the comfortable silence. He signaled to Khid to draw the curtains and close the door, so that the only source of light was from the Avatar.

A few of the spirits that were with Master Sayj hovered near the light, cooing and making quiet oohs. They reached out towards the light and petted the light as though it were a polar puppy. One of them, a blue green iridescent meadow vole, fluttered up.

"Ah, it seems that you have returned from your decade-long journey?" Master Sayj smiled in welcome. The spirit smiled back at him, and looked at all the other spirits. They gave a small nod, as though the spirits were having a telepathic conversation. It turned back to Kalea and gazed deeply into her eyes, making Kalea feel like it could see everything about her. The spirit reached its paws out towards the light, and Kalea offered it forward. The meadow vole almost touched the light before hesitating, and then wrapped itself around the light.

Instantly, the room brightened with fire rainbows, sun pillars, red sprites, and aurora. The meadow vole spirit glowed with strength, and it spoke.

"I am Destiny, a Great Spirit of fate and hope," she introduced. Kalea thought she sounded familiar, but then again, many spirits sound the same."When the sun is about to set after tonight's Battle, come with me, and I will take you to the Spirit World."

"Are… are you my guide?" Kalea asked hopefully.

"No, but the two of you will meet in the Spirit World. He is a close friend of mine," Destiny made a buzzing sound before continuing. "Do not worry, Avatar; I will give you a hint."

"Another hint?" Kalea snorted. "Raava gave me a hint, but it didn't help at all."

"Have you tried it yet?" the spirit asked. "If not, then you must, if you wish to meet your guide. You have been stressing over this, yes?" Kalea nodded, and frustration slightly clouded her eyes. Destiny leaned in and whispered, "If you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see." She smiled and winked. "That is one of my two favorite quotes of your guide; plus, you have great light in you, which is partly why you have the ability to bend light."

Suddenly, Destiny shuddered, and all the light faded away, including the sunlight that Kalea bent. Khid turned the lights back on. The meadow vole spirit muttered in the Avatar's ear, "We will meet again." She fluffed her fur and chittered. Blinking rapidly, a flash of golden light engulfed her, and Destiny disappeared.

There was a small pause between everyone in the room; even the spirits stopped making sounds.

"Well," Master Sayj cleared his throat. "At least we know that our Bending Battle this month will end before sunset!"

"Speaking of that," Khid stepped towards the door. "You all might want to get ready. It starts in ten minutes."

Sharinne and Jing both grinned. "You are _so_ going down!"

David smirked. "You are so going to be Team Captain."

"True that," Master Sayj laughed as he walked out with the spirits trailing behind him.

Kalea smiled. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at her window, towards the sun.

* * *

><p><strong>ok, just to clarify, the headquarters is on something like Zaofu, and it isnt completely underground. some of it is above-ground, hence the sunlight from Kalea's window.<strong>

**thanks if you read this! _PLEASE REVIEW._**


	3. Chapter 3: The Bending Battle

**Avatar: Kalea's Legacy **

**Book One: Voices Chapter Three: The Bending Battle**

_Earth._

_Fire._

_Air._

_Water._

_The Avatar has come back to the world to bring peace and balance by mastering all four elements. With powerful bending and a strong spirit, Kalea can do anything…_

* * *

><p>"Welcome, everyone, to our monthly Free-For-All Bending Battles!" Master Sayj announced. "This month, being Avatar Kalea's first Bending Battle, we shall allow anyone who would like to play to participate." People cheered. "Remember, no maiming, killing, etc. You can use any strategy you would like –being a Free-For-All Battle; but the Avatar may not enter the Avatar State or use the elements of her opponents, and no one may do anything related to the spirits. Those of you who will not join will be off to the side outside the boundaries to help heal those who are hurt. Guard your leader well, and don't forget to use teamwork and collaboration! Winning team will be rewarded with Free Time for three days. Losing team will clean the dining area for the same three days after every meal."<p>

He smiled at the audience. "With that said," He raised his arms. "Let the Battle begin!"

Si Guo Tian's silence was shattered by the battle cries and competitive cheers from the TAS members as several charged towards each other. The leader of Team Yin, or the Water and Air Team, was, obviously, Kalea. The Yang Team, or Earth and Fire Team, had –somehow –elected David as their leader.

Kalea was surrounded by airbenders (of which the Avatar still had to ask Khid if the Battles were going against the Air Nomads' customs, since they had pledged to nonviolence). A few feet away, she saw a group of about five waterbenders shooting icicles at their opponents; in the distance, a band of nonbenders used small weapons against some earthbenders, led by Sharinne.

Then Kalea noticed twelve young airbenders and waterbenders, at most ten years old, who were struggling against two nonbenders in Bending Robots, who both seemed to deliberately trying to hurt them. The machines whirred as they shot out several earthen elements, one of which knocked an airbender in flight out of bounds.

Jumping up to build momentum, she used her airbending to create an air scooter, and she zoomed quickly across the ground.

"Avatar, what are you doing?" one of her airbender guards cried. Instead of turning back, Kalea chose to ignore them; the children's safety came first.

Dodging the weapons and elements that were thrown in her direction, she skillfully weaved through the crowd towards the helpless air and waterbenders. She used a blast of wind to boost herself upwards at the children. Summoning a water whip from a nearby puddle, she smacked the Bending Robots on their glass helmets and flooded more water into the gaps. Freezing the water onto the controls inside of the machines, she yanked them off and kicked her opponents off to the side.

Unfortunately, a firebender, who was also one of the coaches that Kalea had befriended, replaced the nonbenders.

"Good evening, young Avatar," Coach Aran saluted in a joking manner. "Now, I don't mean to hurt you; I only want to see how good you are…" He rocketed up and kicked a column of scorching fire at her and the children, who all by now had crowded behind Kalea.

Kalea punched fire back, and the two of them continued attacking and counter-attacking; but she knew they couldn't possibly continue passing fireballs at each other forever. In fact, more earthbenders and firebenders had started to circle around them as people on the Yin Team started to wear out.

"Avatar, look out!" one of the children warned. Kalea ducked just in time as a dangerous amount of fireballs and boulders were targeted at her.

"Well," Coach Aran smiled. "You've gotten better, but it looks like Team Yang has Team Yin's leader cornered. Surrender, and I'll cut you some slack on cleaning the dishes."

Kalea's eyes narrowed. "Not so fast. My team also has _your_ leader cornered." She pointed into the distance, and everyone turned to look, falling for her trick. In that split second, Kalea had the children on air scooters and water boards, and they all escaped.

"Hey! No fair," Coach Aran complained. Kalea laughed and stuck her tongue out.

"Go help the others," she told the air and waterbenders. They nodded as they went off towards their friends.

"Thank you, Avatar Kalea," a young waterbender girl, no more than six, turned to her with big azure eyes. "You're my hero!"

With that, she sped off, leaving the Avatar with a smile on her face.

* * *

><p>About two hours later, many people had gotten tired out, and the Battle didn't seem to be going anywhere… until now.<p>

"K-Kalea." A voice stuttered behind the Avatar. She spun around, expecting an opponent to attack, but it was David. His hands were behind his back, unlike Kalea's, which were guarded in fists. Carefully, she put them down, and David looked her in the eye.

"Listen," David sighed nervously. "I know we're in the middle of a competition, and we're both the team captains of opposite teams, but I want to tell you–"

"Hey ev'ryone!" someone shouted and pointed in their direction. "The team captains're gonna have a one-on-one battle!" Cheers erupted, and people began to crowd into a circle around them, at the center of Si Guo Tian. David visibly started sweating, and Kalea slowly got nervous as well.

"So, uh…" Kalea turned to David. "Are we supposed to–"

"Kalea!" Jing waved to get her attention. "Kalea, you and David are the team leaders. Standing there in front of each other means that you guys are going to fight. Now, it's up to you two to win."

"But what if–"

"No 'what ifs.' You two have to keep the other one down on the ground for ten seconds if you guys want your teams to win."

Kalea exhaled and looked at David. He still seemed nervous, but he had a gleam of competition in his eyes.

"Alright," she said reluctantly. "Let's do this."

* * *

><p>David willed the earth to grab Kalea, but she was too fast. She flipped over and blocked with an ice disc. It just barely missed David's head, but he bent the sand and dirt from the ground into a small sand blizzard.<p>

Kalea's eyes narrowed, but dust still got into her face. Given no choice, she decided to close her eyes and use seismic sense that both Sharinne and David himself had taught her to use. She blasted upwards for a moment to kick off her shoes. She landed, and feeling a rumble from her left, she whipped around, along with a water whip. A hard thump on the ground and the halt of wind indicated to her that David had fell, and lost control of the sand he was bending.

Opening her eyes, Kalea saw David only a few feet away from her. She rushed towards him with a cloak of water at the ready, but he stomped on the earth and made her fall into a narrow pit. Kalea tried breathing ice and frost to make the air cooler (David hates the cold), but it was no use.

What happened next was a blur. One second, she had finally freed herself by making a giant air bubble; the next she was pinned to the ground with David on top of her. The crowd was silent, and a moment of awkwardness passed before Khid began the countdown:

"Ten! Nine, eight…" The people joined in, certain ones cheering, others giving encouragement to Kalea.

The Avatar's multicolored eyes stared dazedly into a certain pair of desperate emerald green ones, and a strange feeling filled the pit of her stomach. Two more numbers were counted before she finally took control of the situation. Kneeing David hard in the stomach, she turned him over with his back facing her, and she froze his legs from the knees down onto the ground. She pulled his arms as far back as David's flexibility went.

"Ow…" David whined. "Kalea… this hurts. A lot."

"I know it does," she replied, smirking as the countdown started over.

When it finished, Team Yin cheered and whooped loudly. Kalea let David go, and he collapsed, exhausted, on the ground. Sharinne chuckled as she rushed over to help her brother, and she shook hands with Kalea and Khid.

"Nice job," Jing complimented as she walked over, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder. "I never thought you could beat a guy up like that."

"Ha," Sharinne snickered. "You should've seen her at the beginning of the year in the winter, when David insulted her artwork."

Kalea grinned. "Oh, that was a good one."

"You bet," David grumbled as he brushed himself off. "I almost got frostbite. Now I have to be Cinderella for a whole three days."

Team Avatar laughed at his joke and everyone went back inside the headquarters.

* * *

><p>"Hey, guys?" Kalea stepped towards the door of her room. "I'm going to meditate some."<p>

"Already?" Jing chuckled.

"Um, yeah," she rubbed her neck. "Destiny –the spirit– told me that I have to meet her before sunset." She opened her door and stepped inside, her friends waving goodbye.

Kalea sat down and closed her eyes. She thought about what Destiny had quoted: _If you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see._ She knew she had heard this before, somewhere else; possibly even in a past life…

_Drink some tea! _her conscience urged. Kalea sighed and thought, _Not that again! Really, how would tea help me find my guide?_

As if the world was tempting her, she saw a teacup sitting on her desk. Sighing, Kalea gave in, and stood up. She walked over and drank some, not knowing that it was cold.

"_Ew!_" she scrunched up her nose and spat it out. "Cold tea? Why would there be cold tea?" Kalea lit a small flame beneath the cup, heating up the drink.

Suddenly, a voice shouted in her head, _What do you think you're doing, firebending your tea?!_ The boy's voice was a whisper; yet to Kalea, it was so loud she almost thought it was real. Tea splashed onto the floor. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. Kalea waterbent her tea back into her cup, closed her eyes, and drank the now-warm tea.

"Ah, much better, isn't it?" A familiar voice chittered. The Avatar's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself in the Spirit World.

"Good to see you again," Destiny greeted. "Nice job on the Bending Battle."

"Destiny!" Kalea said, surprised. "Uh, it's good to see you again too."

The spirit shifted, and she seemed as though she were changing form. Her body lengthened, and her limbs grew longer. Her head stretched into a more human-like shape, and the fur disappeared; smooth, pearly skin replaced it. Her hair was black, long and elegant, with blue green ends. Her simple white dress came down to her knees, with an aqua robe over it. Destiny took on the looks of a young human girl, no more than fourteen.

She sighed and stretched. "It feels good to be in human form."

"Can all spirits change shape?" Kalea asked.

"Not all… but some." Destiny's eyes seemed to be far away. "And only a very, _very_ small amount can do this in the material world."

Kalea wondered if Destiny herself was one of those special spirits.

The spirit cleared her throat. "Come along," she commanded. "We will meet your guide."

* * *

><p>"Destiny, I think we passed this place before." Kalea shivered and looked around. "We're going around in circles!"<p>

"I know," Destiny said lightly. She had led the Avatar into what seemed like a forest, and simply continued "leading" her away. "This is how your guide will know we are here. I told him that this will be our signal…" Her voice trailed off.

"Um, can you tell me who my guide is?" Kalea asked.

"No," Destiny answered firmly. "It will be a surprise. But don't worry too much. You'll know soon enough. Just to warn you though… once your guide leads you to the voice you heard, you might be disappointed."

The Avatar frowned. "Why is that?"

Abruptly, Destiny stopped. "Shh, he is coming. Wait here."

She walked away, leaving Kalea alone. Out of anxiety and habit, she reached up to feel for the ancient necklace of Master Katara, but her neck was bare. Her heart pounded. _What happened?_ She thought in fear. _When did I lose it? How could I_ not _have noticed before?_

Suddenly, Destiny snapped Kalea out of her worried thoughts, her voice a few feet away, declaring, "I have decided. It is now time she meets you."

"Good! I have waited a long time," an old man's voice exclaimed. _Hey_, Kalea thought, her necklace forgotten. _I've heard him before. Wait a minute… old… tea… wise quotes.…_ Suddenly Kalea gasped. She recognized this voice! It sounds like…

"Kalea, come here," Destiny beckoned. Slowly, Kalea walked forward, too excited to respond.

An old man, about a head shorter then Kalea, appeared. Wrinkles around his friendly eyes showed that he smiled a lot. He wore the traditional Fire Nation beard, and his hair was white. He dressed in Earth Kingdom clothing, though: a light green robe with olive green hemming, and swirls that trailed to his back, forming into the familiar yellow-green circle with a square in the center.

He bowed in respect. "It is an honor to meet you, Avatar Kalea."

Kalea bowed back.

"Kalea," Destiny introduced. "This is your guide. He will take you to your… voice." For once, Kalea had not noticed the small change in Destiny's voice. The old man nodded at Destiny, and she disappeared in a shimmer of light.

"You're… you're Iroh. _The_ Uncle Iroh!" Kalea cried out. "…Right?"

Iroh smiled kindly, his eyes sparkling with humor. "Would you like some of my original Jasmine Dragon tea?"

* * *

><p><strong>I read my traffic stats for this story and <span><em>PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY READ THIS!<em> i'm just a little disappointed that nobody _reviewed..._**

**So, _PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW MY STORY!_ please...? *cute kitty face with big shiny eyes***  
><strong>lol thanks if you're reading this.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Foreshadowing

**sorry this is really short... again, thx if u r reading my story!**

**Avatar: Kalea's Legacy **

**Book One: Voices Chapter Four: Foreshadowing**

_Earth.  
>Fire.<br>Air.  
>Water.<br>The Avatar has come back to the world to bring peace and balance by mastering all four elements. With powerful bending and a strong spirit, Kalea can do anything…_

* * *

><p>"So," Iroh started up a conversation as he poured tea into the Avatar's cup. "Have you mastered the four elements yet?"<p>

"Almost," Kalea replied. "I still need to work on my firebending a little, but frankly, I'm not struggling with any of the elements."

Iroh smiled. "That's good. This shows that you have completely mastered water, the element of change. You can easily shift your personality to fit in with the element you are bending."

"I want to master all the elements as well as the Avatar State soon, so I can get my Mark."

"Ah. Now, you should not rush with your plans, you know. You must always have a strong foundation before you construct your plans on top. Otherwise, your building will collapse." He winked. "But I have no doubt that you are very strong."

Kalea smiled. "I guess so. I mean, I did invent a new type of bending…"

"So I've heard." Iroh set down his teacup. "The spirits told me that you invented lightbending. If you teach this to other firebenders, perhaps someone can advance it –and invent heatbending, or even laserbending! Avatar Korra was the first metalbending Avatar, but you are the Avatar who _invented_ a new type of bending!"

She laughed. "I'm not _that_ good, and I'm definitely not as good as Korra. She's amazing! Seriously, she did so many things: she took down a crazy bloodbender, Amon –or Noatak, whichever – who took her bending away and then she gained energybending from Aang when she found her spiritual self. She opened up the spirit portals and freed the spirits, as well as preventing Vaatu from making the world enter ten thousand years of darkness. She defeated the Red Lotus when they tried to take down the World Leaders, and almost got killed by a poison. Three years later, she stood up against Kuvira, someone who once was their ally, but became evil when she decided to rule as a dictator over what is now known as the Earth Republic. Then, when things got out of control when Kuvira tried to fire her spirit weapon at Korra in the Spirit Wilds, she saved Kuvira's life. In the process, she even created the spirit portal in the center of Republic City. How awesome is that?"

"Yes, it is very impressive," Iroh admitted. "She also went through much suffering. It was worth it, though. She needed to understand what true suffering was, that she needed to be more compassionate to others, and to forgive, even to people who try to kill her. All Avatars need to know this, including you."

Kalea nodded. "I heard Avatar Yangchen telling Avatar Aang, 'The Avatar must be compassionate towards all people. The Avatar must experience sadness, anger, joy, and happiness.'"

"I agree with her. By feeling all these emotions, it helps you understand how precious life is."

A moment of comfortable and thoughtful silence passed before Kalea asked, "When will you take me to the voice I heard? The voice said that I need to find it with your help."

Iroh smiled. "I will tell you that the voice is to be your animal, but you must treat it as an equal –perhaps even more. Before I take you to her, however, I must give you extra training."

"Extra training?" Kalea asked, surprised. "You mean I'll have to meditate into the Spirit World every day?"

"No," Iroh chuckled. "That won't be necessary. At least once a week, go to Republic City's spirit portal and meet me at the Lotus Pond. We will start your training there. I will teach you all that I know. I will help you progress with the minor elements as well as the Avatar State. But right now, you need to prepare for what will happen."

"What? What is going to happen?"

He pulled out a seemingly normal branch from his pocket, but when he closed his eyes and muttered a chant to it, it glowed and turned into a long staff.

The old firebender's voice was solemn as he spoke. "This staff has the strength of all the spirits in the world, even those of Raava and Vaatu. If it is in the wrong hands, the universe –not just the world– will be destroyed. I have kept it with me, waiting, since it was made: the day you were born. But soon, you must take it. As the Avatar, the bringer of peace and restorer of balance, you shall be entrusted with this responsibility."

"_What?_" Kalea gripped her cup tightly. "But why? You kept it safe all this time, so why can't you continue keeping it? What if someone steals it from me, or I lose it, o-or–"

Iroh put his hand up to silence her. "You are the Avatar, not me. I kept it with me because it was still growing, and not even the other spirits know about it. But soon, it will become fully powered, and there will be a significant reaction among all the spirits that will affect everyone, then everybody will know about this staff. After that… well, you will encounter several enemies."

Kalea sighed, still uncertain. "Can you at least tell me when this is going to happen?"

Iroh nodded and waved his hand in the air, and mist appeared around them. He exhaled sharply, and the mist swirled into a large rectangular shape. Images flashed on the screen. The elder explained, "There will come a day called Universal Cosmic, and it happens only once every… actually, it has only happened only once before: at the beginning of Creation. It will be a day when aurora will erupt all across the skies. The world will experience both day and night at the same time. Tui and La, the Moon and Ocean Spirits in the Spirit Oasis at the Northern Water Tribe, shall transform themselves into human form and continue their dance for ten minutes exactly. In these ten minutes, this staff will transmit powerful light, even greater than that of Vaatu's or Raava's –in fact, it is so great that it equals the power of all the lion turtles that ever existed. You must take this staff and put it beneath the center of the stars, which will form into a constellation that looks like a swirling galaxy. You, being the Avatar, will project some of your cosmic energy into the staff, and the staff will feed off the energy into the stars. What happens next will depend on you: whether you continue to surrender to the starry heavens, or you decide not to give away your strength."

The Avatar rubbed her temples. "I'm still really confused. Why do I need to do this?"

Iroh smiled, whether of sadness or another emotion, Kalea could not tell. "You are doing this to protect one of your future lives, as well as the whole world. Around 9700 years from now, Vaatu will emerge from Raava, and both Great Spirits will live inside that Avatar. This means that they will fight each other again, and this time, the Avatar won't be able to do anything about it. Their fighting will disrupt the Avatar and force him to enter the Avatar State. But because the Avatar is a mortal, a human, a battle between two Great Spirits inside of him will end his days, thus destroying the Avatar Cycle. Raava and Vaatu will become whole and physical spirits once more, freed; but the rest of the world will have to experience life before an Avatar –before Avatar Wan separated Raava and Vaatu and halted their fights. The effect will be enormous, and because the world has changed much since the era of Raava, it may be possible that the two spirits' combats will damage the world so much that _everything_ as we know it will be demolished."

The Avatar took a deep breath. "Okay," she muttered. "Talk about too much info..."

Iroh put a friendly hand on her shoulder. "It's all right," he consoled. "You will have enough time to prepare, and you will have all the help you need."

Kalea sighed. "It's just that… I've always dreamed of being the Avatar, and all the stories about the adventures of my past lives, including the ones from the first cycle, fascinated me. All the cool martial arts, the different types of bending to learn, the people that they meet; the list goes on! When I found out that I really _am_ the Avatar, it was the best day of my life. I also knew that it would be a big responsibility, and it could be dangerous as well… I just didn't realize that the Avatar's destiny would be this much of a burden."

Iroh gave her a fatherly hug. "Kalea, Kalea. You are much wiser than most; and although Korra did many more amazing things in just a few years than most Avatars have done in their lifetimes, she still had to go through all that pain and frustration to learn one of the most important lessons in life. She said herself that she started out as a naïve young girl who was too enthusiastic. You, on the other hand, at least know the risks, and you caution yourself. I know from the bottom of my heart that you will do the right thing and make the right choice when the time comes –and believe me, you have enough time."

"Thank you, Iroh." Kalea smiled at him.

He smiled back and chuckled. "Know that destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. Just remember to keep an open mind and open heart. Allow yourself to flow like the river, and may your actions be out of your love and care for others. Let destiny be your friend... including the spirit!"

Kalea laughed.

Suddenly, she noticed that everything around them had become fuzzy, and soon, Iroh began to blur as well. She felt as though her spirit was being lifted away.

"Meet me next weekend at the Lotus Pond!" Iroh called as he faded away.

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE REVIEW!<strong>

**if u are reading this, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! note that i check my viewing stats, aka i know how many people read my story! i really want you guys to review so i know what you guys think about this: good story or bad story. **_**PLEASE!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Gifts

**Hi guys. New chapter! I think this story is actually better than I expected, but i _REALLY REALLY REALLY NEED REVIEWS!_ several people have actually viewed my story, but that doesnt necessarily mean they read it. Come on, people! And if you are actually reading this, please give a few suggestions for a funny character. In the TV shows, there's always some humorous person, and I want mine to be David, except I don't really know what he would say...  
>There's some romance in this one, just to let you know. The ending is kinda "meh" but overall it's okay. A few subplots might be useless, but... *shrug*<strong>

**i don't own Avatar. T.T**

**thx if u read this giant blob of an A/N! :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Avatar: Kalea's Legacy <strong>

**Book One: Voices Chapter Five: Gifts**

_Earth._

_Fire._

_Air._

_Water._

_The Avatar has come back to the world to bring peace and balance by mastering all four elements. With powerful bending and a strong spirit, Kalea can do anything…_

* * *

><p>"Ugh…" Kalea groaned as she sat up, her hand rubbing her temple. She found herself on her bed, instead of on the floor she had been sitting on.<p>

"Ah!" someone sitting next to her jumped up in surprise, causing Kalea to whip around. David stood near her bed, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.

"David, what are you doing here?" Kalea asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I came here because I wanted to give you something," David explained, rushing. "But you looked like you fell asleep on the floor for some reason, so I helped you get on your bed."

Kalea rolled her eyes. "I was _meditating_," she said. "Get your facts right."

David frowned. "Aren't you supposed to have good posture when you meditate? You were slouching over, and your tea almost spilled before I caught it."

Kalea tilted her head in a confused way. "Really?" she asked. "I… never mind. So, what did you want to give me?"

David smirked. "Talk about greedy. Here, it's a gift," he said, and held out a small box wrapped in blue tinted metal.

Taking it gingerly, she metalbent the cover away, and inside was a long, indigo velvet box. Kalea gasped when she lifted the lid open. Inside was a Water Tribe style choker necklace, made with a dark blue ribbon and three pendants. The ribbon was soft, embroidered in a swirling design with a sparkly string. The three pendants were a beautiful azure blue, smooth and shiny, and each had a symbol of water carved on them. The ones on the sides held the Northern Water Tribe and Southern Water Tribe, showing her parents' nationalities. The one in the middle, slightly bigger than the others, showed an emblem Kalea had never seen before. A delicate wave flowed and curved along the edges, and teeny tiny water droplets can be noticed, if looked at closely.

"David…" she breathed. "This… you… it's beautiful."

David blushed a bit. "To be honest, Sharinne did the ribbon part, and I earthbent those crystals."

Kalea smirked, but then she realized what he said. "_Crystals?_ These are… crystals?"

David shrugged. "I'm a good earthbender. I can summon crystals out of–"

"No, no," Kalea interrupted. "I mean, they're not just regular rocks or anything?"

"I guess not…"

She smiled. "Tui and La! That's so thoughtful of you." She gave him a friendly hug, but something about it seemed different from all the ones that they shared before.

"It's a replacement for Katara's Necklace. I saw you lose it during the Bending Battle, and I think it broke." David explained. Then he quickly added, "But it's getting fixed at one of the shops, and–"

Kalea laughed. "It's fine. Personally, I like this one even better."

"Here, let me help you get it on," David said, turning her around.

"It's fine," Kalea insisted, pulling away. "I can metalbend it on myself."

"No, you can't." David smirked. "The clasp is platinum, and even you can't bend that."

Kalea rolled her eyes and pulled her hair to the side, but she began to blush as she felt his soft fingertips brush against her neck. His warm breath tickled her, and she bit her lips to prevent herself from laughing.

"There," he whispered with a strange twinkle in his eyes, and Kalea thought it looked familiar. David's finger trailed along the edge the ribbon, down one of the small pendants and just barely touched her collarbone. Kalea offered him a smile, but on the inside, she shivered; though it wasn't completely unpleasant.

"What were you going to tell me during the Bending Battle?" Kalea asked.

"Um, the necklace," he lied.

"I really don't know what to say." She touched the necklace's glassy surface.

"A 'thank you' would be nice."

She smirked. "Thanks." Suddenly, for a moment, they seemed to stare at each other the same way they had during the Bending Battle. Kalea hardly noticed his hand slowly reaching out towards her…

"You guys!" The door instantly opened, and the two friends jumped apart, both blushing pink.

Jing frowned and asked, "Uh, is everything okay?" Then she saw the new Water Tribe necklace that Kalea was rubbing nervously, and her eyes widened. "Whoa!" she cried. "Is that… a _betrothal_ necklace?!"

"_No!_" David and Kalea both yelped. "It's not what you think!" Their faces went bright red, making Jing snicker.

"Alright, alright," she chuckled. "Anyways, there's going to be a celebration for the Yin Team, and only ten people's names are drawn from a hat to receive the rewards. Those ten people can choose at most two people –from either team Yin or Yang– to receive a gift with them."

"Okay," Kalea said. "So do we go now?"

Jing shrugged. "Why not?"

* * *

><p>"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" the announcer declared. "The first winner of this draw is… Taikni!" Applause came from the crowd. He reached in another hat and pulled out another slip of paper. "You and your friend shall receive improved Airbending Suits!" Whoops came from their friends as they walked onstage.<p>

"The second winner is… The third… The fourth…" On and on until he announced, "The ninth winner is Master Khid!" The rest of Team Avatar and a few airbenders cheered for their friend.

"I would like David and Jing to receive these rewards with me," Khid decided, grinning. The two stepped up, and they all shook hands with the announcer before he fumbled through the reward hat.

"Congratulations! You three shall receive our latest innovation: a transformable watch that can be used to communicate to others, as well as keep and save data. Like our Glass Laptops, only better!" Many people cheered at the idea.

"The tenth winner is Avatar Kalea! Please step up, and if you'd like, choose a friend."

Kalea smiled at her best friend, who waved at her. "Sharinne, please," the Avatar said. Sharinne walked onstage, and shook hands with the announcer.

"And what do you know? You two will receive the same reward as the last group!" The announcer grinned. "Congratulations to the winners! The draw is now over; everyone, please head back to your daily schedules."

* * *

><p>"Oh, deer scales!" Sharinne exclaimed excitedly, making Jing laugh. "I can't wait to learn how to use these tomorrow!"<p>

David sighed. "You've been ranting _forever_. You're getting _really_ annoying."

Khid chuckled. "Sharinne, calm down. I might not have a sister, but I sure know what it feels like."

"And how is this so?" Kalea asked.

Khid smiled and looked at Jing. "Oh… I don't know; but Jing might be able to tell you something."

The firebender playfully punched him on the arm. "Don't even think about making me tell them our story," Jing threatened jokingly, but at the same time, she seemed serious. "I'm a terrible storyteller."

Sharinne stopped and wiggled her eyebrows. "'_Our story?_'" she quoted with a suspicious look on her face.

Their faces turned into stop signs. "_No!_ No, no, no," Jing emphasized, but her voice sounded squeaky. "It is not romantic in any way, shape, or form. And frankly, I won't be telling it to _anyone_. It's my own business, and people shouldn't be nosy about things others want to be kept private. This is nothing you guys need to know and nothing you guys should be worrying about. I don't want anyone's pity. If you really want to know, ask him." She pointed at Khid. "End. Of. _Discussion_." Then she stalked off to the Firebenders' Quarters, leaving her friends –save Khid– with confused looks on their faces.

"Monkey feathers!" Sharinne complained. "She's so stubborn sometimes."

"Yeah, well…" Khid sighed, like he had this conversation with himself a lot. "It's actually more about her childhood and stuff, and her past is pretty rough."

The Avatar paled a bit as she said, "I asked her about it once, and her eyes turned into obsidian." She shuddered. "If I weren't her friend, she probably would have burned me down to ashes."

David scoffed, "She gives people the cold shoulder too much."

Sharinne, who always tries to play good cop, defended, "Look, you don't know what happened to her, so you shouldn't be talking." She glared at her brother before asking Khid, "But seriously, could you tell us what happened?"

Khid hesitated for a while before he finally answered, "Alright. I'll tell you tomorrow, but I'll have to get Jing to be with us."

* * *

><p>The next day, the morning bell rang for everyone to wake up, but Jing paid no attention. She was already awake and "practicing" in the Firebenders' Training Center, punching angry flames in random directions. A sudden blast of air extinguished the fire, and it also caused Jing to turn around.<p>

"What are you doing in the Firebenders' Quarters?" Jing scowled. "You're an airbender."

"Jing, we have to talk," Khid demanded, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Not just between the two of us, but with the rest of our friends. They can't just see you being upset and not know what's going on."

"I'm not upset," Jing denied. "I'm… just…"

"Don't lie!" Khid hissed, making the firebender that everyone thought was the toughest person around, cringe. "We are your _friends_. We're _worried_ about you. We _care_." Then he looked at her dead in the eyes and added, "_I_ care."

For the first time in almost a decade, tears started to prick at Jing's eyes. The feeling was so overwhelming that she felt the need to collapse. It seemed as though all those years that she had taught herself to be strong were a waste.

"Jing," Khid whispered, with less of an edge to his voice. "I know how you feel about your past, and I also know what it feels like to be neglected. But that's all over now. We're here, our new home. I'm the World Leader for the Air Nomads, and you're the best firebending Master we have. Don't let your past define you."

"I-I don't need your pity."

"Please!" Khid grip on her shoulders tightened. "You don't have to put your mask on around me. I'm your… your… famil– friend." He decided. "You admired Fire Lord Zuko's uncle, Iroh, right? Do you know what he said?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "He said, 'There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you, help you.'"

Jing was silent for a long time before she finally asked softly, "Do… do you? I mean, uh, would you… help me?"

"Well, yeah." The airbender smiled, but he blushed slightly when he realized the real meaning of her question.

Suddenly she hugged him tightly, surprising him. Without warning, the tears pushed their way out, and she trembled from a mixture of feelings: relief, sadness, guilt, joy, and some anger. Never had she known that she would break down on the one person who made the difference in her life, and the one person who always gave her the comfort she needed. _Like a brother,_ she thought. _Or a friend. But more._

"So…" Jing whispered as she wiped her eyes. "Do we tell them right now?"

Khid smirked and joked sarcastically, "Oh, I'm sorry. I think you were on the Yang Team, and I do believe they lost. So if I'm not mistaken, you need to clean the tables, wash the dishes, sweep the floor–"

"Okay, okay!" Jing laughed. "I get it."

"Not to mention, everyone who received the new watch devices as a gift yesterday will learn how to use them in a few hours."

"We'll be busy…"

* * *

><p>"…and this is how you would communicate to others who have Wrist4." The instructor, Ming, pressed a button on the watch, flipped open the small glass lid, and tapped the center. A list of contacts appeared in the air in front of her. "All you have to do is add people's Wrist4 number tags on the list and you're good to go. Here's a demonstration."<p>

She tapped the first number on the contacts list and another instructor's watch vibrated. On his screen showed a green button and red button, and when he tapped on the green button, the call was answered. A life-size image of Ming shimmered in to view in front of the other instructor.

"Whoa!" People gasped. "Cool!"

"Now, any questions?"

The lesson went on for another half hour. All of a sudden, the lights flickered, and everything went dark.

A few children from outside in the hallway screamed, and firebenders lit flames in their hands. Kalea looked around and heard a few adults asking if everyone was okay and telling everybody to calm down.

She turned to Jing and whispered in her ear. Jing nodded and whispered to Khid, who also nodded. Then he hovered a few feet in the air using his airbending, and ordered, "Firebenders, please make your way to the front of the room."

About a dozen people in red and black clothing shuffled forward. Khid nodded at Kalea, who smiled proudly. She stood near the firebenders and began to lightbend the glow from their fires. People instantly gasped and gaped in awe at the new form of bending, but Kalea and her friends simply smiled knowingly. The light was pressed onto the ceiling, making it seem as though the blackout hadn't occurred.

* * *

><p>"Kalea." Khid walked up to her after the instructions ended.<p>

"What's up?"

"I'd like to congratulate you on mastering your airbending yesterday." He held out a package tied with string. "They're fashioned after Avatar Kyoshi's."

Kalea's eyes sparkled when she saw a pair of airbending fans. Yellow, with orange circles down the middles. Thin red wood etched with small designs bordered the sides.

"Thank you," Kalea smiled gratefully. "It's an honor."

Khid smiled back. "You earned it. Considering you unconsciously hid your abilities and spiritual essence for practically your whole life, you are an amazing bender."

She laughed. "I _am_ the Avatar. I kind of _have_ to be good."

Khid nodded. "Alright then… meet you in the food court in a few minutes. After lunch… well, Jing and I have a story to tell."

Kalea watched as he walked away. She wanted to help Jing so much, yet she was afraid of how things would turn out. Why couldn't the firebender just let it go, give it away, like these gifts?


	6. Chapter 6: Background

**Avatar: Kalea's Legacy **

**Book One: Voices Chapter Six: Background**

_Earth._

_Fire._

_Air._

_Water._

_The Avatar has come back to the world to bring peace and balance by mastering all four elements. With powerful bending and a strong spirit, Kalea can do anything…_

* * *

><p>Kalea has always had light skin for a Water Triber –in fact, she would even pass as someone from the Fire Nation if it weren't for her eyes. But Jing's skin was probably paler than a goose-swan's feather, and seeing her trembling –paler than ever– walk into Khid's office, Kalea thought her friend looked like a spirit in the Fog of Lost Souls.<p>

Khid squeezed Jing's shoulder comfortingly. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she answered, but everyone knew that was the worst lie ever told.

Kalea glanced at Sharinne, who nodded encouragingly at her with wide jade green eyes. The Avatar stood up and smiled kindly at Jing.

"I want to give you this," she said. "It was Sharinne's idea; I helped make it." Two platinum handles hung from the opposite ends of a long cord.

"A jump rope?" Jing asked incredulously. The confusion was shown as clear as day on the firebender's face.

Sharinne and Kalea both smirked. "No," Sharinne's lips widened in to a grin. "It's not just a jump rope…" She walked over to her friend, took the handles, and whipped it around in the air. Her fingers pressed a hidden button on the left handle, and instantly the cord lit up, crackling with lightning.

"No way…!" Jing breathed. For the first time that day, her face brightened, filling with amazement.

"And if you do this, here…" Sharinne hand twisted clockwise on the right handle, and the "jump rope" snapped into two fire-whips that lashed out in front of her. The fire quickly faded, though, and Sharinne explained that only a firebender can make the fire-whips stay useful.

"This... I –thank you." Jing struggled for words. "But why?"

Kalea shrugged. "We're friends. Generosity is something we have."

David grinned and joked, "In other words –" he continued in a high, squeaky voice, "we're girls. We give each other random things because we're _soooo_ random."

Everyone laughed as Sharinne playfully punched her brother in the arm.

"So," Khid said, nudging Jing. "Let's all sit down for story time, shall we?"

Jing's expression darkened instantly.

"It all started with our parents," Khid immediately began. "My parents, and for many generations before them, were nonbenders. When I was five, they found out that I was an airbender, and started treating me like a slave. At first, it was just simple chores around the house, and occasionally a few outdoor errands; but by the time I was seven, I was constantly under pressure from trying to impress my parents, trying to make them love me. One day, I accidentally spilled a drink on some papers. When I dried them, I found out that they were forms. Forms to send me to an orphanage. I burned them and ran away. I was only eight years old."

"My mother didn't seem to like having me around, either," Jing added. "She always abused me and called me things of bad nature. Then my father found out, and he began to constantly fight with my mother. When I turned six, he told me wanted to die… a-and he asked me to kill him. I wouldn't, so he ran away into the woods and went insane. The next day, the police found his dead body covered with self-made wounds. After that, my mother despised me, and blamed every one of her wrongdoings on me. She married someone else and supposedly got pregnant, only to lose the baby the day it was due. That was when she decided to try to kill me.

"After my mother received the news of my sibling, she went absolutely crazy. My stepfather, Anino, left her, leaving her with a daughter she hated; and me with a psychotic maniac of a mother." Tears gathered in Jing's eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. "She took blades of all kinds –from butter knives to pocketknives to pencil sharpeners to kitchen knives –and aimed them at me. Her hair was always a messy birds' nest; her skin turned sickly pale. And her eyes… they used to be dark brown, but when she had a tantrum, they seemed black. She scared me so much, and gave me so many nightmares… Everyone at school either avoided me or bullied me. Even the adults gossiped about me when they thought I wasn't listening."

Kalea squeezed the firebender's hand in comfort.

Jing continued, "She would break things and throw them at me, then tell me to clean it up. I was always crying from fear and pain, and nobody cared. I was just… an outcast. The hospital wouldn't take her in, for fear of property damage and all; but even if they did, we wouldn't have been able to afford it." Jing took in a deep breath. "A few days before my eighth birthday, I just knew that I couldn't take it anymore. The abuse, the tantrums… just my life there in general. So I ran away."

"And on the way, you met Khid," Sharinne guessed.

"Exactly," Khid confirmed. "We ran into each other –quite literally. I was walking down 2nd Turtleduck Lane –near Republic City– and a girl with long bangs, dressed in gray crashes into me…" His sentence trails off as he burst into laughs, and the girl in question glared.

"Sure," Jing muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Like you would remember."

Khid quickly put on a serious face and stood up. "You know, I actually still have your picture from our first day here at the headquarters." He walked over to his desk and fumbled through a drawer before pulling out a colored photo. Khid sat back down and put it in the middle for his friends to see.

"Aw, Jing!" Sharinne squealed. "You look _so_ cute!" A young girl sat, pouting, with her arms crossed. Her black, shoulder-length hair had been tossed behind her, and her bangs were indeed long. They covered Jing's eyes slightly, and seemed to be cut by her own inexperienced hands. Her clothes were much too girly for what the benders now know as Jing: a frilly red dress with thin, black sleeves. The top was covered with a single line of fake golden flowers, from her left shoulder to her right side of her waist. The skirt went down to her bare knees, and layered in lacy waves at the end.

No wonder Jing looked so unhappy.

Everyone laughed, making the firebender blush furiously. She snatched the picture up and put it back in Khid's desk drawer.

"Don't do that again, or I'll burn it," Jing threatened, but she was trying to hide a smile of her own.

"So then what happened?" David asked.

"She was hurt," Khid proceeded to explain. "So I took her to Air Temple Island, where some airbenders healed her. When they found out that I was an airbender as well, they immediately began to train and mentor me on the Air Nomad life and traditions. Of course, later they sent me to the Order of the White Lotus, because I was so good. But then little Yu here had to mess it all up." He ruffled Jing's hair and she stuck out her tongue in response.

"Well?" Kalea pressed.

"She followed me practically everywhere, and the airbenders had to blast her into another room just to keep her away. It was annoying at times, but I guess that's what a little sister does, right?"

David huffed. "You have _absolutely_ no idea what a real sister is like –and trust me, you don't want to know."

"Hey!" Sharinne protested, and crossed her arms with a frown.

Grinning, Jing continued, "I really was Khid's biggest fan. When he was going to be sent here after the White Lotus took us in, I snuck onto the jet and stayed hidden inside some wooden crates. In the morning, they found me sleeping as deep as a maple sloth!"

"More like a koala cat," Khid muttered.

"So," Kalea summarized, "basically you and Khid bumped into each other and went to Air Temple Island, then you both were taken in by the White Lotus, and were sent here."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I just have a question." David stated, knitting his eyebrows. "Why didn't your parents like you as an airbender?"

Khid sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a long story," he answered. "One of my ancestors married a descendant of Master Jinora; until me, there has been absolutely no sign of an airbender. I guess my family just wanted to stay… normal, you could say."

"Hey!" Sharinne exclaimed. "David and I are descendants of Bolin! Mom used to say we got his button noses, David got his humor, and I got his lavabending."

"Some friendships are so strong," Kalea quoted the voice in her head, "that they can even transcend lifetimes."

The group smiled at each other, but their comfort was interrupted by a beeping noise. Khid sighed as he tapped on his Wrist4, making it light up with power. "Hello?" Khid asked.

"Master Khid!" an urgent voice panted from the device. "We need you and all the other benders at Si Guo Tian immediately. Bring the Avatar!"

The airbender frowned. "What happened?"

"We're under attack. Their leader is a firebender called Ashoka." At the mention of the name, Jing gasped with shock flashing across her eyes. Kalea reached out to comfort her.

"How many are there?" Khid demanded.

The voice gulped. "Too many. And their name. It's…"

"_What?_ Tell me!"

"They call themselves the Revival of… the Red Lotus." And at the same time, Jing whispered, "Ashoka. That was what my mother wanted to name… my half-sister."

* * *

><p><strong>That should explain the new ending of chapter 4...<strong>  
><strong>and the title of this chapter. should it be "Background" or "Trouble"?<strong>

**PLEEEEAAAASE REVIEW!**


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